Safety-float for submarines.



H. E. KELLER & H. M. SlEDSCHLAG.

' SAFETY FLOAT FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-24. 1914.

1,159,683., Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

5 $HEETSSHEET I.

i 1 i I H. E. KELLER & H. M. SIEDSCHLAG.

SAFETY FLOAT FOR SUBMARINE-S.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-Z4, l9l4.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

gill Q Wi twwwo m fiww I I Elttomm I H. E. KELLER & H. M. SIEDSCHLAG.

SAFETY FLOAT FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILE D OCT-24, 19M.

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SAFETY FLOAT FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED 00124. 1914.

. 1 159fi83. Patented NOV. 9, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

wwweooeo I H. E. KELLER & H. M. SIEDSCHLAG.

SAFETY FLOAT FOR SUBMARINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.24. 1914.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. KELLER AND HARRY M. SIEDSCHLAG, OF THE UNITED STATES SAFETY-FLOAT FOR SUBMARINES.

Specification of Letters .Patent. I Patented NOV. 9, 1915.

Application filed October 24, i914. Serial N 0. 868,524.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HENRY E. KELLER and HARRY M. SIEDSCHLAG, citizens ofmhe United States, residing at Bremerton, in the county of Kitsap and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Floats for Submarines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety float as particularly designed for use in conjunction with vessels adapted to beoperated below the surface of the water, such as are commonly designated as submarines.

As a particular object, this invention contemplates the provision of a float of this character which may normally be carried on the upper surface of the submarine with which. it may communicate in order that the said float may be used ordinarily as the conning tower of the vessel and yet be, detachable from the submarine when it is desired to mark the position of the latter either in cases of emergency or forstrategical reasons, by allowing the float to rise to the surface of the water. 7 7

An object of equal importance is to provide in a float of the type described means permitting the accommodation therein of the entire crew of the vessel in case of disablement to the submarine when the latter is submerged, this means including the provision of a water tight cradle for said float comprising mating portions, one each of which is to be carried by the float and submarine respectively permitting these latter to communicate normally through said cradle and further permitting each to be rendered water tight independently of the other.

It is also a coordinate object of this invention to provide novel control means operable from within the float in order to regulate the rise of the latter to the surface of the water, such means including winches or winding drums carried in each end of said float both of which are normally adapted to act simultaneously and either one of which may take the place of the other in case of the fouling of the latter accidentally.

The above and additional objects which will become apparent as this explanatory ed hereto and form a tion.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there is illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention as it is reduced to practice and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate slmllar parts: Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the float and a portion of the submarine showing the former attached to the latter, parts being broken away at the extremities of each, Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view also shown in a longitudinal vertical section, showing a cradle of somewhat different form, from that part of this applicashown in the first View, Fig. 3 is a view in a longitudinal horizontal section of a float Fig. 4 is a detail of the periscope attachment, Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the winch adapted tovbe carried on both ends of the float and the flexible controlling means connected to the submarines winding cones or fairleaders, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the internal portion of the sheave housin for the mentioned flexible connection, Fig.

is a detail on an enlarged scale of the removable fastening means joining the mating portions of the water tight cradle, as also operable from the submarine, Fig. 8 is a portion of a transverse vertical View of the float shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the upper portion of the screw control as positioned within the float and taken right angles to 7, and Fig. 10 is a view illustrating the position of a submarine equipped with a safety float asprovided by this inventionthe'latter being detached showing vention is approximately barrel-shaped and constructed with a buoyancy or floating capacity sufiicient to maintain the whole crew of the submarine to which it is to be at tached together with their necessary supplies and the various apparatus to be hereinafter described. I

The body portion 11 of the float is-accordingly constructed of a suitable material preferably metallic in the barrel-shape before mentioned having the closed ends 12. A shearwater 13 is provided inclosing the body portion 11 in the manner particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 10 and apertures 14 are provided in the upper and lower surfaces of the float in order to communicate with manholes 15 which are of the custom-.

ary variety and adapted to be made water tight by means of covers 16 and 17 the former of which is maintained in posltion by the hand wheel screw 18 operating through bracket arms 19 which'straddle the manhole; and the latter ofwhich is carried by an arm 20 pivoted to the bracket arm 21 which in turn is similarly pivoted to the plate 22. A flooring 23 is also apertured as at 24 in alinement with the lower manhole 14 and is supported preferably by the ballast 25. Substantially annular ribs 26 Lshaped in' cross section are transversely positioned interiorly of the body 5 as a support therefor, in the manner particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

- scribed. To this end a water tight cradle is provided to permit such communication and-consists of upper and lower sections 29 and 30 respectively, the former of which is I-shaped in cross section and provided with a socket-member 31, and which is carried by the submarine and projects above the usual combing 32 in surrounding the hatch 27., The portion 30 is similarly carried by the float body, and is provided with a. rib

33 adapted to seat within the socket portion 31 in which it is'rendered water tight by a suitable-rubber gasket 34 as shown in Fig. 7. It will thus be seen that a continuous and water tight wall is formed about the lalined manholes permitting communication between the float and submarine at all times.

As a releasable securing means to insure the removable mating of the portions 29 and 30 there" is provided aplurality of screw members 35 so' positioned as to penetrate through both the rib and the socket portion,

"the screw threads thereof being of'the interrupted variety releasable upon a quarter turn of the member. vAt the upper portion 7 of each member is formed the handle wrench 39 with which latter there coacts a notched piece 37- adapted to retain the pivoted handle member when the latter is'in its locked 1 position. Stufling boxes 37 are positioned upon the flooring to prevent leakage of water or air along the screw stems.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated a modified form of communication means to be interposed between the submarine and the float. In addition to the previously described mating cradle portions 29 and 30 a smaller joint connection is provided to immediately surround .the manholes only and includes the socket member 38 and themember 39 receivable therein with the usual rubber gasket interposed on the lines of the joint, the former being laterally enlarged to provide the chamber 40 in which may be stored the manhole covers when not in use. In this form the swinging hatch cover 17 for the lower float manhole must necessarily be dispensed with and a cover of the type designated by the numeral 28 substituted therefor.

As a means for controlling the rise of the float to the surface after its connections with the submarine have been released there is arranged upon each end 12 of the float a housing 41 semicylindrical in shape and having a lower open end. Each of these housings is adapted to contain a winding drum or winch 42 rotatably mounted upon an axle 43 transfixing the housing and continuing through the partition 12 to the interior of the float where driving connections are established between the gears 44 and 45 and the operating crank 46. A flexible connection 47 is adapted to have one end. secured to the dgum 42 upon which it is wound and from which it continues downwardly to pass over the fairleader 48 carried on the combing 32- of the submarine at points imme diately below the winch housings. Thence the connection 47 returns to the float by way of a pulley or sheave 49 situated in the same end 12 below the winding drum and within a housing 50 particularly illustrated'in Fig. 6 and covering the cut away portions 51 laterally traversed by suitable slidable pins upon one of which is supported the sheave 49 while the other receives an eyelet 52 formed in the end of the flexible connection which has been wound upon the winch at the opposite end of the float and which after passing over its own fairleader and pulley at that end passes around the submarine body as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 to this pin. A pair of stub axles 53 enter this casing 50 through suitable stufling boxes 54 in which there is also positioned a small worm gear connected to the before described slidable pin in order that operation of these axles by the application of asuitable wrench may serve to dislodge the pius and consequently loosen the connection between the flexible controlling means at an end or the float. Y

As illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be seen that a steering of the submarine from the floating conning tower is rendered possible by the wheel 55 positioned in the latter and connected to the submarine steering rod 56 by means of the universal and slip joints 57. An insulated cable 58 makes water tight connections through the skin-of each was sel for lighting, signaling, telephoning and the hke, while the auxiliary storage battery protracted periods of time. Peep-holes 61 serve the obvious purpose when the float has reached the surface either when attached or.

unattached to the submarine while a duplicate periscope 62 is alsoprovided to enable an extensional use of this device in supplementing the'usual single periscope 63. As illustrated in Fig. 4 a valve 64 with its suitable connections is adapted for use with this instrument to prevent the leakage of sea water 'therethrough. A submersion gage 65 and the other customary apparatus necessary for the control of a submarine are provided within this float in the same manner as in the customary rigid conning tower.

There is illustrated particularly in Fig. 7 means whereby the float may be loosened from within the submarine as may be, desirable for strategical reasons, such means including the relatively fixed socket wrench '66 projecting into the submarine through the gland 67 and operable upon the lower extremity of the screw members 35. As shown in Fig. 8 valves 68 are provided to be operated within either vessel to permit the entrance of sea water into the cradle-when it is desired to permit the float to rise to the surface.

From the foregoing detailed description vessel, the said connections or fairleaders being in particular designed for this purpose. Strategically it would be possible to deceive an enemy as to the location of the submarine by releasing the unoccupied float' from the interior of the submarine or it might also prove desirable to permit one observer within the float when released from the submarine who might have telephonic communication with the latter and who might furnish needed reports to the sub marine without endangering it in any degree.

When the float cradle has been loosened from the submarine cradle and the float permitted to rise to the surface, such rise may be controlled through the medium of the flexible elements 47 and the reeling mechanism therefor so that the ascent may be made at the speed desired and to the height desired. The dual mechanism at each end of the float permits the ascent to be made upon an even keel so long as neither of the controlling cords 47 become fouled. Should this occur to one of the cords in such manner as to disturb the ascent of the float by dragging one end thereof downward, it will become necessary to loosen both pins within the housing 50 at that extremity of the float in order to loosen connection between the float and the fouled line and to also loosen connection between the unfouled line and that extremity of the float which is nor-.

'mally made, over the pulley 49 so that the unfouled line leads from its casing 41 at one extremity of the floatdirectly to the untouched casing 50 at the other end of the float by way of its fairleader 48 which latter is now the only way of connection between the submarine and the float. Should it become desirable to sever all connection between the float and the submarine, this can be very readily done by removing the pins in both of the casings 50, which, of

, course, disconnects the free extremity of each cord 47.

While in the foregoing however, there has thus been illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is desired to emphasize the fact that such minor changes in the matters of proportion and degree may be made in later adaptations of this device as shall not alter the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended. claims.

What is claimed is v l. The combination with a submarine, of a float attachable thereto and releasable therefrom, means to control-movement of said floatafter release from said submarine,

such means connected from each end of such float to the other and having intermediate portions connected to said submarine.

2. The combination with a submarine, of a float attachable thereto and releasable therefrom, means operable from said float for controlling movement thereof upon release from said submarine, said means including flexible connections removably secured at both ends of said float, reelable from one end and intermediately connected to said submarine.

3. The combination with a submarine, of a float, fairleaders carried on said submarine, winches carried on said float, a separate connection between each end of said float and one of said fairleaders, through the'respective winch, and means for permitting one winch to connect both ends of said submarine with the respective fairleader.

4. The combination with a submarine, of a float normally attached thereto but releasable therefrom, flexible connections controlling movement of said float away from said submarine, each of said connections being normally attached to both ends of said float, a reel for attaching one end of each connection, a pulley carried by said for attaching or releasing the other end'of each connection.

5. The combinatlon withca submarme, of

a float attachable thereto and releasable:

therefrom, means operable from said float to control movement thereof after release from said submarine and. including a winch at each end of said float, a pulley at each end of said float, flexible connections extending from each winch for training over the adjacent pulley subsequent to an intermediate connection to said submarine and means for removably connecting the free extremity of each of said. flexible connections to the opposite end of said float.

6. The combination with a submarine, of a float attachable thereto and releasable therefrom, means operable from within said float for controlling separation thereof from said submarine, said means including a winch at each end of said float, a pulley removably mounted at each end of said float, flexible connections extending from each winch for training over the adjacent pulley subsequent to an intermediate connection with said submarine, means for removably securing the free extremity of each of said flexible connections to the opposite end of said float, and means for disconnecting either or both of said pulleys in permitting the flexible connections from the corresponding winch or winches to extend through to I opposite ends ofthe float.

7 The combination with a submarine, of a float, a winch carried at-each end of said float, a pulley at each end of said float, pins removably mounting said pulleys, fairlea-ders carried by said submarine, a flexible connection extending from each winch to an adjacent fairleader, thence to-the adjacent pulley and thence. to a point-of removable securement at the opposite end of said float in permitting each end of the latter tobe. connected to one of said fairleaders, and. means for removing the pulley'adjacent a 1 winch to permit the flexible connection of the latter to connect both ends of said float with one of said'fairleaders,

8; The combination with a submarine, of j a float, a winch carried .at each end of said "float, a corresponding fairleader carried by said submarine, for each winch, an exteriorly communicating housing adjacent each winch, pins remov'ably mounted therein, a pulley loosely carried {by one pin of each housing, 'a flexible connection extending from each winch for training over the corresponding fairleader and-pulley and continuing thence for securement to the free pin on the opposite housing, and means for dislodging both of the pins in each housing to disconnect either or both of said connections with their respective fairleaders.

9. The combination with a submarine, of a float, a cradle adapted to support said float on said submarine,v and including mating portions carried respectively by said submarine and by said float, a flange formed on one float for operation therein, interrupted .threads formed upon said members, and a socket Wrench removably connected to the end of said members and operable from within the submarine to release the mating portions of said cradle.

10. A safety float for submarines including a body portion, a pair of housings respectively supported upon. said body pertion, drums mounted in said housings, driving connections for said drum, operable from within said body portion, a pair of second Housings, slidable pins carried in said second housings, a pulley carried on one of said pins of each housing, an eye similarly carried: on the other of said pins, flexible connections independently fastened to said drums, and traversing the pulley of one housing and connected to the eye of the other housing, pullevs on said submarine to engage the intermediate portion of said connections, and means for removing. the slidable pins of each of second said housings independently to disengage the eye of one flexible connection and the pulley of the other for the purpose specified.

- In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

1. HENRY E. KELLER;

HARRY M. SIEDSCHLAG. Witnesses:

MARTI JERAMIAH HILL,

Hnerr THOMPSON DOWLEY. 

